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Auto alternatives for the 21st centuryTue, 31 Mar 2015 14:25:22 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.2New Carsharing Program in London to Include BMW i3’shttp://www.hybridcars.com/new-carsharing-program-in-london-to-include-bmw-i3s/
http://www.hybridcars.com/new-carsharing-program-in-london-to-include-bmw-i3s/#commentsFri, 05 Dec 2014 19:08:48 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=224729Carsharing is coming to Europe’s biggest city, and the all-electric BMW i3 will be included amongst the list of vehicles being offered. DriveNow is a popular carsharing program in Europe which has begun service in London as of today. The service will initially offer 210 BMW 1 Series and MINI Countryman models for spontaneous hire. […]

]]>Carsharing is coming to Europe’s biggest city, and the all-electric BMW i3 will be included amongst the list of vehicles being offered.

DriveNow is a popular carsharing program in Europe which has begun service in London as of today. The service will initially offer 210 BMW 1 Series and MINI Countryman models for spontaneous hire. Beginning in the spring, DriveNow will also add 30 all-electric BMW i3 cars to the London fleet expanding it to a total of 300 vehicles during the course of next year.

DriveNow is a joint venture between the BMW Group and Sixt SE, and currently operates in five cities in Germany – Munich, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Hamburg as well as in the Austrian capital of Vienna. In North America, DriveNow operates only in San Francisco at the present time. It offers over 360,000 customers access to a fleet of some 3,000 BMW and MINI cars in any of these cities.

DriveNow has plans to expand to 15 additional European and 10 North American cities, although no details as to which specific markets are targeted have been released.

Carsharing continues to grow in popularity in major urban centers in both Europe and North America. Programs such as DriveNow and Zipcar provide spontaneous access to a variety of vehicle types to many urban-dwellers who choose not to own a car. Electric vehicles and hybrids are often common offerings with these services as they match well with the typical driving needs and preferences of subscribers.

With DriveNow, every journey is charged by the minute. In London, the rate will be set at 39 pence ($0.61) per minute with an hourly cap of 20 British pounds ($31.00). Subscribers will also be provided with the opportunity to purchase time in larger blocks at reduced pricing.

The service will start off by serving an area around 65 square kilometres (25 sq. miles) in size comprising the boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney, though DriveNow is seeking to extend the area of coverage to neighbouring boroughs before long.

The 5-seat all-electric BMW i3 has been available since November, 2013. In that time more than 12,000 units have been sold according to BMW making it the third most popular EV.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/new-carsharing-program-in-london-to-include-bmw-i3s/feed/0DriveNow Expanding In San Fransiscohttp://www.hybridcars.com/drivenow-expanding-in-san-fransisco/
http://www.hybridcars.com/drivenow-expanding-in-san-fransisco/#commentsFri, 09 May 2014 12:55:09 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=147986DriveNow, BMW’s premium car-sharing program, will expand to offer street parking in multiple neighborhoods in San Francisco, beginning in areas of the Mission District. The program will also add 80 electric BMW ActiveE vehicles to the existing fleet, increasing the total number of ActiveE vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area to 150. BMW said […]

]]>DriveNow, BMW’s premium car-sharing program, will expand to offer street parking in multiple neighborhoods in San Francisco, beginning in areas of the Mission District.

The program will also add 80 electric BMW ActiveE vehicles to the existing fleet, increasing the total number of ActiveE vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area to 150.

BMW said DriveNow members will have the opportunity to name the 80 electric vehicles in a two-week social media challenge.

Later this month in the Mission District, DriveNow explained, members will be able to use the DriveNow app or Web site to locate, reserve and park cars on specific streets between Potrero Avenue and Folsom Street and between 16th Street and 26th Street. DriveNow members will be informed by the in-car screen and the DriveNow app which streets are in a “green zone,” or a DriveNow drop-off zone, designating that it is approved for parking. If a DriveNow member attempts to end a reservation in a non-sanctioned DriveNow drop-off zone, the in-car screen will alert the driver that the reservation cannot be ended, and if applicable, help identify the appropriate streets for parking.

“DriveNow with street parking is available in several cities across Europe, and it has been a very successful business model, so we are pleased to bring street parking to the U.S.,” said Richard Steinberg, CEO of DriveNow USA. “By expanding our offerings in San Francisco, our members will find it is more convenient than ever to find and park a DriveNow vehicle.”

The 80 vehicles, from members of BMW’s Electronaut program who previously leased the ActiveEs, will be available on San Francisco streets and at 17 DriveNow locations around the San Francisco Bay Area, including Palo Alto, the San Francisco International Airport and Oakland International Airport, said the carsharing company. DriveNow stated it is also working on additional station expansion around the Bay Area, including San Jose International Airport.

DriveNow added its community is invited to name the 80 additional ActiveE vehicles through a two-week challenge on Facebook and Twitter to help develop personalities for the new electric cars. Submissions for the new ActiveE names should follow this protocol:

Use the letters “A” and “E,” as in “ActiveE”;

Use the letters “E” and “V,” as in “electric vehicle”; or

Use the letters “B,” “E” and “V,” as in “battery electric vehicle.”

The letters could be used consecutively or as first and last names, such as ArchiE, EVita, BEVerly or Escape Vehicle. The selected names will appear on the car sticker, in the DriveNow app and on the DriveNow website.

The social media challenge is open May 9-23, 2014.

By the end of the year, DriveNow said it has committed to extend street parking to include areas of Bernal Heights, Haight Ashbury, Noe Valley, North Panhandle (NOPA), Alamo Square and Potrero Hill in San Francisco.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/drivenow-expanding-in-san-fransisco/feed/0Premium 360º Electric Portfolio Launched By BMW ihttp://www.hybridcars.com/premium-360o-electric-portfolio-launched-by-bmw-i/
http://www.hybridcars.com/premium-360o-electric-portfolio-launched-by-bmw-i/#commentsMon, 18 Nov 2013 13:43:34 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=93929BMW of North America has announced the partnerships and programs comprising its 360º Electric portfolio. The company says its intent is to ease the acceptance of its EVs and has organized a full support system for BMW i owners in order to make their experience a truly premium and enjoyable one. Available in early 2014, […]

]]>BMW of North America has announced the partnerships and programs comprising its 360º Electric portfolio.

The company says its intent is to ease the acceptance of its EVs and has organized a full support system for BMW i owners in order to make their experience a truly premium and enjoyable one.

Available in early 2014, 360º Electric is, in BMW’s words, a portfolio of consumer-oriented offerings designed to overcome commonly perceived barriers to purchasing an electric vehicle.

As BMW of North America was announcing details of this portfolio, BMW Group Canada’s President and CEO Eduardo Villaverde was presenting in front of Canadian automotive executives at 2013 TalkAuto Canada the company’s strategy and focus towards EVs.

In essence, Villaverde explained 360º Electric encompasses products for home and public charging, assistance services, and flexible mobility. The goal of BMW was to partner with experts in the field of electric mobility to provide its customers the best solutions available on the market so as to optimize their overall EV driving experience.

“Not only will 360º Electric allow for a convenient and easy transition to electric driving, but it will also provide customers access to an energy-conscious, sustainable lifestyle,” said Villaverde.

Villaverde took this occasion to present publicly for the first time in Canada the BMW i3 to the attendees of the 2013 TalkAuto Canada conference.

BMW believes the company is perfectly situated to branch into complementary electric vehicle markets because its experience with the MINI E and ActiveE field trials has allowed the company to understand EV driver challenges and demands.

“BMW has applied the lessons learned and customer feedback from our field trials to develop the 360º Electric portfolio.” said Robert Healey, BMW NA’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Manager. “Electric mobility is new to many customers, and in order to give them maximum confidence and a premium experience, we have given them access to programs and experts that will enable a truly holistic electric driving experience.

Solutions offered by BMW as part of the 360º Electric portfolio cover home charging stations, installation services, a solar energy program, parking solutions with access to chargers, carsharing solutions for longer trips, assistance services and technology-based solutions like apps allowing one to find services, parking, locate a car and more.

The home oriented BMW i Charging Station provides a fast way to charge the BMW i vehicle. BMW said this wall-mounted charging station features an SAE J1772-compliant connector, a weather-resistant NEMA 3 enclosure for indoor and outdoor installations, and with an output capacity of 7.2 kilowatt at 240 volts, the BMW i3 can be fully and safely charged in approximately 3 hours, and the BMW i8 in approximately 1.5 hours.

BMW said it paired with Bosch Automotive Service Solutions to provide BMW i3 customers a concierge-level, customized installation of the BMW i Charging Station. Bosch certified electricians will perform a no cost, in-home consultation and full installation services, backed by a Bosch warranty and ongoing technical support.

Additionally, qualified customers will be able to finance the cost of the charging station and installation with their vehicle through BMW Financial Services.

Per BMW, the definition of premium also includes a long-term focus on sustainability paired with an immediate focus on economical energy choices. With this in mind, BMW has partnered with SolarCity to offer owners of the new BMW i vehicles access to SolarCity’s most affordable solar service option.

As part of the partnership, BMW i owners will receive a 10-percent discount on SolarCity’s home solar offer with flexible financing options, including options with no upfront installation cost and 20 years of locked-in solar energy rates.

The BMW i discount, offered through all participating BMW i Centers, will be available in early 2014.

All BMW i owners will also be provided ChargeNow cards, providing immediate access to more than 14,000 stations on ChargePoint’s growing network.

In addition, BMW i Centers are installing ChargeNow-branded charging stations across the U.S. and Canada that are available for current and future customers, available starting early 2014.

To solve various parking issues, BMW has created ParkNow LongTerm, an extension of the ParkNow product offer. As part of the 360º Electric product portfolio, this service is designed specifically for BMW i drivers in select markets who do not have access to residential or workplace charging options. BMW explained ParkNow LongTerm connects BMW i drivers to dedicated parking spaces with charging stations in parking garages on a long-term based rental in select cities.

ParkNow LongTerm will identify the best parking options for BMW i customers and recommend to a prepared parking facility from ParkNow’s broad partner network. ParkNow LongTerm offers an easy and convenient parking spot that is pre-qualified and guaranteed in order to provide the customer with a pleasant parking experience.

Another aspect of the 360º Electric product portfolio is the Alternate Mobility Program. In order to reduce range issues for those occasional long-distance trips, BMW i will have conventional gasoline engine BMW or Mini vehicles available, working similarly to a carsharing service, but exclusive to BMW i owners.

DriveNow is currently available in San Francisco, with a fleet of BMW ActiveE.

ConnectedDrive is also part of this comprehensice portfolio. BMW i vehicles come equipped with the technology to help drivers easily locate the nearest public charging stations, and if available, see their availability through the on-board navigation system. ConnectedDrive can also be used to check vehicle charging status, control the charging process, plan trips and drive more efficiently.

BMW explained with the BMW i Remote App for iOS and Android, BMW i owners can use a smartphone to connect with their BMW i vehicle remotely and control it from a distance, seeing the vehicle’s range, battery condition and charge levels, service messages, and location. With Charge Control, charging procedures at each station, trip planning, climate control of the passenger compartment and the high-voltage battery can all be activated remotely.

Also, and developed exclusively for the BMW i3, BMW Ultimate Service includes an 8 year, 100,000 mile high voltage battery warranty. And as with all new BMW vehicles, a 4 years or 50,000 miles warranty, 4 years or 50,000 miles maintenance program, and 4 years and unlimited mileage Roadside Assistance are included.

Finally, Villaverde stated the BMW Group is placing a lot of emphasis on this 360º Electric portfolio in order to complement the EV and contribute to make the BMW i ownership a truly premium experience.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/premium-360o-electric-portfolio-launched-by-bmw-i/feed/0Sustainability Hackathon Results In New EV Appshttp://www.hybridcars.com/sustainability-hackathon-results-in-new-ev-apps/
http://www.hybridcars.com/sustainability-hackathon-results-in-new-ev-apps/#commentsMon, 06 May 2013 15:26:09 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=58207The first Sustainability Hackathon was held at the BMW Technology Office in Mountain View, Calif. The purpose of the event was to share ideas and develop new apps in the areas of electro-mobility and sustainability. The winning app is designed to help electric-car users communicate quickly and simply with one another on an anonymous basis […]

]]>The first Sustainability Hackathon was held at the BMW Technology Office in Mountain View, Calif.

The purpose of the event was to share ideas and develop new apps in the areas of electro-mobility and sustainability.

The winning app is designed to help electric-car users communicate quickly and simply with one another on an anonymous basis in order to use charging stations efficiently and minimize waiting times.

Eighty software developers and computer programmers participated in the two-day “hack event” held between April 27 and 29 in Mountain View, California, according to BMW.

The event’s main sponsors were the car-sharing service DriveNow and ChargePoint, as well as BMW.

Fifteen 15 apps for smartphones and mobile phones competed for first place in seven award categories.

A total of $3,000 in prize money was awarded to the most practical, creative apps.

BMW said that a widespread problem, currently, is the less-than-optimal utilization of electric-vehicle charging stations, which are often used by only one vehicle for an extended period of time.

A growing concern: electric vehicles may be parked at a charging station during an entire workday… While only needing a couple hours of charge.

The winning apps enable electric-car owners to communicate with one another in order to use charging stations more efficiently and maximize their utilization.

For example: One car is parked at a charging station; the other arrives at the station and needs ten minutes’ worth of electricity to reach its destination. The driver of the second vehicle can use the app on his or her mobile phone to contact the driver of the first car quickly and anonymously to request permission to charge the vehicle for a short time – naturally, with the assurance that the first car will be plugged in again afterwards.